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New Open Source Update Fedora 13 is Released to the Public

The open source community has a new tool to tinker with thanks to the release of Fedora 13 from the Fedora Project. The Fedora Project is a group dedicated to bringing free open source software to the public. They are continuing to do so with this current release, which comes just half a year after the release of Fedora 12.

Fedora 13 is the latest edition of the free Linux-based operating system from the group. Anyone can download and use the operating system. They are also free to modify it to their needs and distribute it as they see fit. Fedora 13 is just the latest way that the Fedora Project encourages the innovation of open source software.

While past versions of the Linux distribution, such as Fedora 11, were known to have some bugs, the thirteenth version promises to have many upgrades that past users of the product will likely notice. This keeps in line with the group’s mantra of releasing the latest software and putting it in the hands of its users first.

The first upgraded feature of Fedora 13 is the inclusion of many upstream updates such as the 2.6.33 Linux kernel, OpenOffice.org 3.2, and Firefox version 3.63. You can also look forward to using the GNOME 2.30 and the KDE 4.4 desktops.

Those who use NetworkManager will find some upgrades in that realm with Fedora 13. Among them is Bluetooth dial-up networking and a NetworkManager command line interface that eliminates the need to use a GUI for control. Also new is a Mobile Status function that will let users know whether or not they are roaming, which in turn saves them a lot of expenses when it comes to roaming charges.

Another improvement comes in the form of printing. Fedora 13 now comes equipped with automatic printer driver installation, which will find the correct driver for whatever printer you have connected via USB or through a network.

A feature that is useful in the education field is the Sugar Learning Environment. The newest Fedora version comes with Sugar version 0.88, which has an updated activity set intended to help young children in the classroom get acquainted with computers. The Sugar Learning Environment’s interface caters especially to young children, and is a powerful tool to help broaden their horizons.

In the graphics arena, Fedora 13 has the Nouveau driver, which is an experimental graphics driver meant to replace proprietary drivers from companies like Nvidia. Although this driver is still basically in its experimental stage, users can access it with the newest update.

Python fans get a boost with this new distribution by gaining the ability to use a parallel install of Python 2 and 3. The parallel install feature allows users to still benefit from Python 2’s features while gaining the benefits of the newer Python 3 version.

Those updates listed are just the tip of the iceberg as to what Fedora 13 has to offer. With all of its features, it is a very attractive tool for open source users; hopefully, the Fedora Project will continue to release more updates in the future.

For more on Fedora 13, visit: http://www.linux.com/news/software/applications/310561-seven-reasons-to-upgrade-to-fedora-13